President Donald Trump hosted the Kennedy Center Honors, praising honorees like Sylvester Stallone and Kiss, while also delivering controversial remarks, criticizing 'woke' culture, and breaking with long-standing presidential traditions for the arts event.
President Donald Trump hosted the Kennedy Center Honors, marking a significant departure from past presidential involvement. He praised honorees Sylvester Stallone, Kiss, Gloria Gaynor, Michael Crawford, and George Strait as 'legendary,' claiming 'billions and billions of people have watched them.' Trump, the first president to command the stage, used the platform to criticize 'woke' anti-American culture, a consistent theme since his return to office. He predicted record ratings for the CBS and Paramount+ broadcast. Unlike previous presidents who watched alongside honorees, Trump had skipped the honors during his first term. He admitted to not preparing much for the gig, relying on his memory and desire to 'be myself.' Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick noted Trump's relaxed and funny demeanor. Trump appeared on stage three times and introduced each artist with prerecorded videos. His stage comments were a mix of effusive praise for honorees and pointed remarks, including a controversial line about knowing 'some good. Some bad. Some I truly love and respect. Some I just hate' in the audience, and later, calling many 'miserable, horrible people' but persistent. The honorees, chosen with Trump's input, were pop-culture standouts like Stallone (Rocky, Rambo), Gaynor ('I Will Survive'), Kiss (flashy performances), Strait (country music), and Crawford ('Phantom of the Opera'). Trump highlighted their shared trait of persistence, referencing Rocky Balboa. The ceremony included a tribute to Kiss's original lead guitarist Ace Frehley, who recently died, with a smoke-emitting guitar placed on stage. The event closed with Cheap Trick performing Kiss's 'Rock and Roll All Nite.' Honorees expressed humility and gratitude. Trump has taken a strong hand in the Kennedy Center, ousting its leadership, stacking the board with Republican supporters, and securing over $250 million for renovations. He has even joked about renaming it the 'Trump Kennedy Center.' His involvement and choice of honorees, some with known ties to him like Stallone, mark a political shift for the historically bipartisan event. While some honorees' political views are less clear, Gaynor has supported Republican organizations, and Kiss members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have had varied public stances on Trump, with Stanley urging unity after Trump's 2024 win despite previously criticizing his 2020 election efforts.
